LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery, who had nine sacks as a sophomore last season, is rated the sixth best player in the SEC by ESPN. The Tigers play their first three games at home this year, including the opener against North Texas on Saturday.

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USC Trojans

Just two years into his college career, USC receiver Robert Woods already has 176 catches for 2,084 yards and 21 touchdowns. The Trojans finished 10-2 last season.

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama QB AJ McCarron was voted offensive MVP of last year's national championship game against LSU. McCarron completed 23-of-34 passes (67.6 percent) for 234 yards in a 21-0 victory. The rematch is Nov. 3 in Baton Rouge.

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Oklahoma Sooners

QB Landry Jones enters his senior year at Oklahoma with 37 career starts, 12,379 passing yards, 93 touchdown passes and 41 interceptions. The Sooners started out 6-0 last season and finished 10-3.

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Virginia Tech Hokies

Athlon Sports says Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas enters his junior year as the top Heisman Trophy candidate in the ACC. A 6-6, 260-pound athlete drawing comparisons to Cam Newton, Thomas is expected to be a first-round pick.

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Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State QB Collin Klein led his team to 10 wins as a first-year starter in 2011. K-State opens the 2012 season on Saturday with a home game against Missouri State.

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Florida State Seminoles

Florida State safety Lamarcus Joyner (20), shown spiking the ball after one of his four interceptions last year, made second-team all-ACC in 2011.

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Michigan Wolverines

Michigan QB Denard Robinson, running for a 41-yard TD against Ohio State last November, finished with 1,176 rushing yards and 2,173 passing yards in 2011; he led Michigan to an 11-2 record.

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South Carolina Gamecocks

After rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman in 2010, South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore suffered a torn ACL last season. Lattimore returns to a team that won 11 games last season, so the Gamecocks are expecting a banner year.

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Texas Longhorns

Texas' Alex Okafor, who had seven sacks last season, is considered the nation's top defensive end prospect by nfldraftscout.com. The Longhorns, trying to bounce back from an 8-5 season, open at home against Wyoming on Saturday.

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Oregon Ducks

Oregon has been to the Rose Bowl two of the last three years, and De'Anthony Thomas hopes he can help the Ducks make a return trip.

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Wisconsin Badgers

Montee Ball, a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, hopes to be available for Saturday's season opener against Northern Iowa despite suffering a concussion earlier in the month from an assault.

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Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State may be breaking in a new starting quarterback this season, but at least it has Le'Veon Bell to lean on in the backfield. Bell rushed for 948 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2011.

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Georgia Bulldogs

Jarvis Jones and Georgia lost their first two games in 2011, but then won 10 straight on the way to an appearance in the SEC title game. It lost to LSU in that contest and then lost in triple overtime to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl.

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Clemson Tigers

Clemson will be without Sammy Watkins for its season opener Saturday vs. Auburn, but when he returns, he'll be expected to build on a freshman season in which he earned Sporting News' freshman of the year.

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Manti Te'o and Notre Dame open their season in Dublin, Ireland, against Navy. Game time is at 9 a.m. Saturday. So don't sleep in, or you'll miss it.

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

Taylor Martinez expects big things for Nebraska this season, but can he deliver? The Cornhuskers have lost four games each year since 2008, so they are overdue for a special season.

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Arkansas Razorbacks

If Arkansas can get over losing Bobby Petrino this past April, it will be because of Tyler Wilson's leadership. Wilson enters this season piloting a Razorbacks plane that's loaded on offense.

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Washington Huskies

Washington doesn't have the national attention that USC and Oregon have, but it could get there this season because of Keith Price. You know we think highly of him if we have the Huskies ranked to start 2012.

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Utah Utes

John White IV rushed for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago. What will he do in his senior season?

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Tevin Washington and Georgia Tech started 2011 at 6-0, but faltered down the stretch, losing four of their final six games and also the Sun Bowl against Utah.

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Ohio State Buckeyes

Braxton Miller showed glimpses of real promise at the end of last season. With Urban Meyer now in charge, how much has Miller's game grown?

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Cincinnati Bearcats

Drew Frey and Cincinnati quietly put together a 10-win season in 2011. Can they win the Big East this year?

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West Virginia Mountaineers

We know Geno Smith is special, considering the damage he did in 2011 and especially in the Orange Bowl against Clemson. But as the Mountaineers join the Big 12 this season, how will Smith and Co. fare?

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Florida Gators

Jeff Driskel will team with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in the opener against Bowling Green, but one of them figures to earn the starting nod after that game.